


Ki-chan

by minaring03



Series: Ki-chan no Volleyball [1]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brief mentions of child abuse (that's the angst), Kise Ryouta plays volleyball, Very brief mention of the Haikyuu first-years, very brief angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:15:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26727289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minaring03/pseuds/minaring03
Summary: Kitawara Kimiko was four when she first met Kise Ryouta. That meeting changed her life.
Series: Ki-chan no Volleyball [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1945210
Kudos: 2





	1. 4 to 6 years old

**Author's Note:**

> Evidently, I like the name Kimiko a lot, seeing as I used this name for my Vampire Knight story as well. Heh :)
> 
> I know the tags mention "very brief angst" but honestly its just a brief not very descriptive violent scene and passing mentions of child abuse.

Kimiko is four when she first meets Kise Ryouta. She is alone (as usual) in one corner of the playground, using a stick to draw on the dry, sandy ground. The gossipy old grandmothers glance at her out of the corner of their eyes, whispering among themselves. “ _That’s old lady Katsuki’s granddaughter, right? Poor thing, she’s always alone.”_ They say that, and pity her, but don’t stretch out their hands and coo at her with offers of _“come on, little girl. Why don’t you come play with my grandchild?”_

Not that she would follow them, even if they asked with sugary-sweet voices.

Suddenly, one of the children cries out. “Look, there’s a really big squirrel over there!” And everyone rushes to catch a glimpse of it. Caught up in the moment, she attempts to do the same, but ends up tripping over a loose brick on the ground and falling flat on her face. Tears well up in her eyes, but she bites her lips, and with great effort stops her tears from falling. _Don’t cry, it attracts too much attention._

A hand appears in her line of sight, and she glances up, surprised. No one has ever offered to help her up before. The boy in front of her is unfamiliar, with golden hair and equally golden eyes. “Are you okay?” he asks, staring down at her. She blinks up at him slowly, and he cocks his head at her lack of response. She manages a quirk of her lips, the closest to a smile she ever remembers having, and grasps his outstretched hand in her own.

He pulls her up, and as she dusts herself off, he introduces himself in a bright tone. “My name is Kise Ryouta! I’m four this year, and I just moved here, because _Papa_ had to tr-trans-transfer!” he stumbles slightly over his words while smiling brightly at her.

For Kimiko, who has always been (metaphorically and literally) cold and alone, the smile almost blinds her, and she squints her eyes slightly, feeling like she’s looking directly at the sun. Ryouta continues smiling at her, and she realises with a start that he is waiting for her to say something. She wrangles her tongue into submission, managing a quiet, hoarse, “Kitawara Kimiko.”

He smiles sunnily at her. “Can I call you Ki-chan?” he asks brightly, and it takes all the self-control her four-year-old self can gather not to gape at him. She just nods in confusion, and he smiles again – does her ever stop smiling? – and reaches for her wrist. His grip is surprisingly gentle as he half-drags her over to the couple standing at the entrance of the playground, smiling gently at the boy as he comes over with his new friend.

“Ryouta, who’s this?” the woman asks, smiling prettily at Kimiko. It has been less than five minutes since she met Kise Ryouta, and she has already seen more smiles than she has in the past year. She stares blankly at them for a moment, before she remembers her manners and bows slightly, once again wrangling her tongue into submission. “G-good evening. My name is Kitawara Kimiko.”

It has been less than five minutes since she met Kise Ryouta, and she has said more words in that five minutes than in her entire life.

\---------------------------------

Kise Reika is all smiles and laughs, with golden hair and eyes. Looking at her is like looking at Ryouta. Kise Yukito is sterner and more serious but loves his family all the same. His dark hair and eyes are a stark contrast to his wife and son, but his two daughters take after him.

Kise Reina and Kise Yukina could be mistaken for twins. They are twelve and fifteen, in their first years of middle and high school respectively, but have the same features, from shape of their dark eyes to the tips of their dark hair.

Kimiko looks at them and sees Ryouta – “Call me Ki-chan too! Then we can be Ki-chan together!” – fitting right in. She looks at their family, filled with light and laughter and _love_ , and compares it to hers, dark and dreary, and that man and woman as they drink their days away, forgetting about the young girl that they brought into the world.

It’s so different it’s not even funny. Ryouta is light, she is dark. He is warm, she is cold. They are too different, and there are no chances of them getting along.

And yet, they click. They meet every day at the playground, and Ryouta drags her around the neighbourhood, as if he’s lived there longer than she has. He shows her where to buy “the best-tasting bread in the whole universe!” and where his parents bring him to buy toys. He smiles at her and calls her “Ki-chan” and doesn’t mind when she doesn’t respond. He introduces her to so many new experiences and feelings, and she has nothing to give back.

\---------------------------------

The first time she goes to the Kise home, it starts off as a not-very-happy visit.

She is waiting for Ryouta at the playground when it happens. She is knocked to the ground, and tall shadows loom over her. Her tormentors are the usual three boys with sinister grins and dark eyes. They throw rocks at her and hit her with sticks till her skin is covered with hues of red and purple, and still she doesn’t cry, only stares blankly at them. This is nothing she isn’t used to.

They will continue to hit and hurt her, until they realise people are coming, then they will then drag her around the corner and run off. She expects today will be no different, and only regrets that she will leave Ryouta waiting for her, who will not turn up.

Except, it doesn’t go that way.

A cry of “Hey!” startles the boys, and they turn around to see Ryouta glaring fiercely at them. “What do you think you’re doing to Ki-chan!” When they see that their opponent is much younger than them, they laugh and prepare to hurt him too, only to run away when they hear Reika calling for her son. They disappear just as Reika turns the corner, but Ryouta doesn’t care, choosing to rush over to check her over.

When Reika sees her, she clicks her tongue and proceeds to pick her up in her arms. Surprised at the sudden change in height, Kimiko instinctively cuddles into the warmth she doesn’t remember ever feeling, and fists Reika’s blouse in her chubby hands. If Reika cares about wrinkles, she doesn’t mention it. Most children would fall asleep, but Kimiko is not most children. Instead, she – albeit reluctantly – asks to be put down, and grips Ryouta’s hand in her own. Her cheeks turn pink as she mumbles, “Thank you…Ki-chan.”

Ryouta is so happy she finally called him by that name that he hugs her tightly, only releasing her when she squeaks in pain as her injuries are aggravated.

When they get to the Kise home, she doesn’t know whether to be surprised or not. Photos of Ryouta and his sisters, of their family, of their parents, litter the walls. The entranceway is warm and welcoming, and as they take off their shoes, Ryouta and Reika call out a bright “ _Tadaima_!”. She echoes their words softly, cocking her head in confusion, and Reika chuckles and ruffles her hair, telling her, “that’s right! You can say, ‘ _Tadaima_!’ when you come over to our house, okay?”

Kimiko is four years old, and for all her maturity and developed observation skills, she doesn’t notice the woman’s concerned frown as she retrieves the first-aid kit from the top shelf. She doesn’t react as Reika uses a damp cloth to wipe away the dirt on her arms and legs and face and doesn’t flinch when a cotton ball soaked in alcohol is pressed onto her open cuts. She merely looks around the house in curiosity, comparing the bright, homey feel of the Kise household to the cold walls of her usual accommodation. Reika praises her for being a “brave girl” but frowns when her face is turned away, wondering about her son’s mysterious new friend.

\---------------------------------

Kimiko is six, and she spends almost all her time with the Kise family, especially Ryouta. She’ll come over in the morning and they will spend all day running around the backyard or exploring the neighbourhood. Ryouta teaches her to play catch and hide and seek, and she becomes so good at concealing herself there was one time Ryouta spent over an hour – not that they know how to tell time – before giving up, and giving a screech when she pops up in front of him. Once dusk falls, she leaves with promises to “come back again!”

Kimiko is six when Ryouta tells her about elementary school.

“Ne, ne, Ki-chan. What elementary school will you be going to? _Mama_ and _Papa_ say I can choose out of a few, and I want to go with you, Ki-chan!”

“Elementary school? What’s that?”

Reika hears this and turns from washing the dishes. “Kimiko-chan, have your parents not discussed about school with you?” she asks, taking care to conceal her frown when Kimiko cocks her head and says, “My parents let me make all the decisions regarding myself,” she says with the unsettling maturity that makes her seem sixteen and not six, “and if I need money, I’m to go and get the money from the box in the study.”

Reika explains what elementary school is and how everyone must go. She tells Kimiko how much is necessary to pay for school, but Kimiko, for all her maturity, can’t count that far yet. So, the next day, she wraps the money box in a large cloth and lugs it over to the Kise home. There, she presents the box to Reika and says, “I can’t count that far yet, but this should be enough.”

Reika stares in horror at the large wads of Japanese yen in the box, and says, “your parents let you bring this much money out of the house?”, keeping her tone neutral and gentle. Kimiko cocks her head. “They have their own money box in their room, and this one is for me to use.”

Reika is seriously starting to wonder what Kimiko’s home life is like. Previously, she thought she was paranoid and had no business poking into another’s life, but for a _six-year-old_ to have access to thousand-yen bundles of cash…

She files this thought away for further consideration and instead smiles brightly down at the girl. “This will be way more than enough for your education! Here, I will take out a few notes to pay for the school, and you bring the rest of this back home, okay?”

Kimiko considers her words for a moment, before asking, with another bout of unsettling maturity, “Can I just leave it here? It’s heavy to carry, and I don’t want to have to bring it over every time I can’t count the money.”

…Reika is definitely suspicious about what goes on in the Kitawara household.

\---------------------------------


	2. First day of Elementary School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryouta and Kimiko enter Elementary School. Kimiko's dad makes a brief appearance, and her past is explained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very brief description of child abuse

The elementary school Kimiko and Ryouta choose to attend is a small neighbourhood school, but well-known for its good academics and variety of co-curriculars. They have no uniform, and Reika is not too strict in what they wear, but Yukina is seventeen and has discovered her passion for fashion and throws a fit if they dress in anything that she deems “horrendous”.

She gasps in horror when Kimiko tells her that all she has at home are white shirts and shorts, and maybe a coat for colder weather, but she has probably lost it by now. Reika and Reina are similarly horrified and drag her out on a “girls-only day”, bringing her to the shops that display clothes she always sees but never buys.

They return to the Kise home that day, all of them juggling bags filled with items that Kimiko only dreamt about before. Ryouta hugs her as soon as she is through the front door, chattering about this-and-that and what he did today. Kimiko nods along and listens carefully, because Ryouta talks enough for them both.

Her first day of school is nothing too extreme. She turns up at the Kise’s door at seven in the morning, and Reina and Yukina fuss over her like a doll, cooing over “how cute you are”. She’s confused the whole time but lets them dress her in a pink long-sleeved shirt and black jeans (They originally went with white, but Reika vetoes the idea, because “girls, she’s six. White clothes won’t stay white for very long.”)

Ryouta skips along the sidewalk as they walk to school, but Kimiko just tightens her grip on Reika’s hand as they draw near. Reika glances at her worriedly, but Kimiko does not respond to her prying, so she lets the two of them go at the gates.

As soon as her hands leave Reika’s, she feels lost. She is surrounded by other children she is sure she has seen before at the playground, but she has never been one for conversation and has no idea what to do. Her eyes are wide, and she glances around in panic in a rare show of emotion, when she feels another small hand grip hers. Her eyes follow the chubby hand up to golden hair and eyes, and Ryouta smiles at her. “Let’s hold hands, Ki-chan! Then we won’t get lost!”

\---------------------------------

They find their classroom easily enough, and Ryouta finds two seats in the middle of the classroom and places their bags down. “Reina nee-chan said if you sit in front, the kids call you a teacher’s pet, but if you sit at the back, the teacher calls on you all the time, so we should find seats in the middle!” he informs Kimiko cheerfully, pulling out the Nintendo he got for his birthday. Kimiko watches curiously as he clears level after level. After a few minutes, he holds the Nintendo out to her, and she clicks at a few buttons and clears another level. She is not Ryouta, but she is not too bad either.

Ryouta sticks by her side all day, and only agrees to play with the other children “if you let Ki-chan play, too! She’s my best friend, and we do everything together!” For the first time in her life, she runs around with children her age and not only Ryouta, and she smiles and wonders what she was worried about.

She finds out later that she was right to be worried. After school, she and Ryouta go to the Kise home together, and she stays for dinner, as she usually does. After dinner she goes home, but for once, the house is not quiet. Instead, that man is waiting at the front door for her, and he is furious. That woman is probably still drinking in the room. “Where were you?” the man says, tone dangerous and raising her guard up immediately. “School,” she says quietly, and she watches his eyes flash with anger. A bottle comes flying at her, and she instinctively brings her arms up to cover her face.

The bottle smacks against her arms and crashes to the floor, cracking slightly, and the man picks it up and hits her with it until the bottle breaks. And still he hits her, until she is covered in bruises and cuts and she has long retreated into herself. After a while, she registers the lack of action coming from him, and lowers her arms to find him passed out on the floor.

She stares at him for a moment longer before she heads to the corner of the living room where she lives. She roots through storage to find a bag big enough to fit her meagre belongings – most of them have already migrated to the Kise’s, anyway – then digs through the drawers in the study, remembering what her grandmother had told her before she passed away.

_“Remember, my little flower, that if you ever need to leave and never come back, the most important thing you need to take is this folder. See, it is a bright pink colour, so even in this drawer, it will be easy to find. Remember it.”_

She tucks the folder into her bag and leaves the house, shutting the door quietly behind her.

\---------------------------------

She does not know what time it is when she gets to the Kise home, but the lights are still on, so she rings the doorbell.

Yukito is the one who opens the door, and he gasps in horror when he sees her at his doorstep. He ushers her in, calling for Reika, which of course brings the whole family down to the living room, even the sleeping Ryouta, because the Kise family are loud and boisterous by nature, even the stern Yukito.

Ryouta is quickly ushered away by his sisters so he does not see her all beaten up, and Reika hurries to run the shower for her. She is gently patted dry with a fluffy towel, dressed in soft clothes that she is sure she has seen Ryouta wear and sat down on the couch. She does not react as her wounds are disinfected and dressed. She blinks slowly at them after they’re done, half-asleep despite – or maybe due to – the exciting night she had, and lets Reika carry her to the futon, tucking her in gently and dropping a kiss on her forehead, whispering a “see you in the morning, _my little princess_.”

Despite the previous night’s events, she rises at six as her body clock dictates and peeks into the kitchen where Reika is preparing breakfast. It is hours too early for Kimiko to be awake, so it is no surprise that Ryouta is not at the table, either.

Reina has duties as student council president and is always at school early to study for high school entrance exams, and Yukina is working hard to enter a prestigious fashion school in Tokyo. Yukito is chief of police and works odd hours, and Reika is a leading child psychologist who used to be a paediatrician, and she has adjusted her work hours to be able to bring Kimiko and Ryouta to school. They stay at school until someone can pick them up and bring them home, and the cycle repeats. Knowing the blonde boy, he was probably drooling on his pillow. Deciding against breakfast, she walks out unnoticed to her futon again and falls asleep quickly.

The next time she opens her eyes, it is to a pair of bright golden orbs staring at her. She would like to say she’s surprised, but she’s long forgotten what true surprise feels like, so she just stares back at Ryouta as he fusses over her, asking if she’s okay and if she’s going to school today. A chuckle from the doorway catches their attention, and Reika smiles at them. “Kimiko-chan, it’s up to you if you want to go to school today, but you should take it easy and I would prefer if you stayed home for the day.”

She says _home_ like Kimiko’s home is here, and it is, has been since the day she met Ryouta. She nods in agreement with Reika, because Reika is older and she knows better, and walks with both of them to drop Ryouta off at school, before bringing Kimiko home. The walk helps her feel more alert and less sluggish and tired, and when they get home, Reika makes one of her famous “special-occasions-only” chocolate milkshakes. The two of them sit on the couch, staring out the window, and Kimiko is the first to break the silence, because she is too observant and mature for her own good. “You want to ask me about last night.” It is not a question.

Reika sighs and nods. “You don’t need to tell me if you don’t want to but doing something like that can make sure your parents won’t do something like that again.”

“They won’t do it again.” Kimiko is sure. Reika starts and opens her mouth, no doubt about to ask Kimiko how she knows that, so she opens her mouth again. “ _Obaa-san_ said that if they ever hit me and I have someone I trust, I’m to take all my things and leave the house, and they won’t hurt anyone else except for each other, because all they do is sit in their room and drink, and they have enough alcohol to last them a long time in the house.” Here she reaches into her bag and pulls out the neon pink file. “ _Obaa-san_ said this is important, I don’t know what they are, but you probably know.”

Putting the file aside for later perusal, Reika stares at the child in front of her, who has the maturity of a sixteen-year-old crammed into a tiny six-year-old body, and she cannot help but ask. “What do you usually eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner?” The small girl cocked her head. “Before I met Ki-chan, I would buy bread when I was hungry. After we met, I ate bread when I didn’t eat here.”

At this, Reika hides her concern behind a disapproving _tsk_. “None of that, now. I will make sure you eat proper meals! A growing girl like you should be eating lots of meat and veggies. Don’t give me that face, young lady,” she ruffled the small girl’s hair affectionately as Kimiko pouts at the mention of vegetables, “it’s good for you.”

\---------------------------------

Reika has taken work off today, so she and Kimiko walk to pick up Ryouta together. She leaves the two of them to their own devices while she goes and talks to their teacher, and it is during this time that the two of them discover volleyball. They are wandering around the school grounds and somehow end up at the gym where the school’s volleyball team is practicing.

When Reika finds them, Ryouta, eyes practically sparkling, asks if they can join the volleyball club.

“I don’t see why not,” she agrees readily, with a hint of excitement, because she, too, had been a volleyball player in school.

\---------------------------------

That night, Reika and Yukito look through the contents of the pink file. There is Kimiko’s birth certificate and personal information, and a copy of old lady Katsuki’s last will, determining that all her assets go to her only grandchild, Kimiko. There is also a letter, written in shaky kanji, addressed to the reader of the letter.

_Kimiko, if you are enough to be reading this, that means my fears are unfounded and your parents have not laid a hand on you. However, I am a cynical old lady, and I have my doubts. So, to whoever reads this note, my name is Katsuki Kirika, and I am Kimiko’s grandmother._

_Kimiko’s parents were once very happy. Kimiko had an older brother, and he was their pride and joy. However, when Kimiko’s mother, my daughter, was in labour with Kimiko, their son met with a fatal accident and they were never the same again. Knowing that they would need time to get over their grief, and believing that they would, I offered to take Kimiko with me to live here in Kawasaki while they stayed in Tokyo for a while to gather themselves._

_It has been three years since then, and they still have not gotten over it, and they have turned to alcohol. I fear what may happen to Kimiko without me to protect her from their drunken actions. So, I have taught her to the best of my ability. As much as it pains me, I must teach Kimiko to be more independent than any child her age should have to be. Even if we had any other living family willing to take her in, I would not trust them to do a good job. Regrettably, our family is not among the people I wish Kimiko to grow up around. I have taught her all I know, and I hope she will eventually find someone whom she can trust with her life, as I have taught her._

_My daughter and son-in-law have come to live with us, and it takes all my effort to keep them away from my precious grandchild. They are violent, but they are sane enough to not hurt this old lady. But they do not know Kimiko at all, and they refuse to get to know her. They blame her for his death, when the two events have no connection at all._

_As I write this, I know I will not be around for much longer. I was old when I gave birth to my daughter, and older still when Kimiko was born. I am spending more and more time in the hospital for failing organs, and my granddaughter is only three years old as of now. Sooner or later, Kimiko will be left alone in the world. I do not know if my daughter will hurt her daughter, but I do not know what to do except to hope for the best._

_I have left behind a large sum of money, enough to cover her expenses until she graduates high school. I have left, with this note, the information of a bank account that she will be able to access once she turns eighteen. I know it is neither conventional nor sensible for a six-year-old to have access to so much money, but I worry for her expenses. In addition, I have alerted her of the importance of the bright pink file that she is to take if she ever leaves that wretched house behind for good. Inside is all the information you need to know of my darling granddaughter._

_Kimiko, my little flower, if you have read this, that means you must have graduated high school already. I am so proud of you for reaching this day, and I wish I were able to see you grow up. I hope you were able to find good people in life, and that your parents did not drown you in the shadows of their existence._

_Best regards,_

_Katsuki Kirika, Head of the Katsuki Clan_

The two of them wipe the stray tears that have fallen, and Reika folds the letter up again, placing that and the bank information back in the file and putting it safely away with the rest of the family’s important documents.

_It is alright, Katsuki-san. Your granddaughter will be safe with us._

\---------------------------------


	3. 6 to 11 years old

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kimiko and Ryouta's elementary years, volleyball and modelling.

Ryouta and Kimiko are the youngest of the school’s volleyball club, and Kimiko is the only girl. Not because the club was only for boys, but because no other girl is interested in volleyball so early. She and Ryouta learn to spike, and receive, and set, and serve even though they are still very short and can only practice if the net lowered. Reika digs out her old volleyball and they practice at home, spiking and serving and setting and receiving until Reika has to call them to come in for dinner.

It is here they discover their mutual ability to copy everything they see.

It is the weekend, and they are playing around in the garden again, watching a video of their _senpai_ performing a jump serve with Reika looking over their shoulders in interest. After watching it once, Ryouta hums and gets up excitedly to try, to the surprise of Reika, who is sitting on the patio reading. When her son performs a near-perfect copy of the shot, she nearly drops her handphone in shock. Jump serves are hard to execute, and even harder to perfect, yet her son just executed it in one try, after watching one demonstration? Her shock grows as Kimiko excitedly stands up too, dusting off Reina’s old pants and also executing the serve in one attempt.

In her excitement, she performs a cross shot and asks the two of them if they can do it, and they do, albeit with a lower net due to their smaller stature.

Once they realise their ability, they use it to hone their skills, watching and practicing and adapting other moves to maximise their comfort level when performing the skill. Soon, they have surpassed some of their seniors, and are well on their way to rising up the ranks in the volleyball club. It is no surprise that, in their fourth year, they are promoted to vice-captain, and in their fifth, they are joint captains. They are undefeated except by each other, which they take with good grace, because “We’re best friends, and we share everything, so when one wins so does the other!”

Reika has never been so glad that Ryouta and Kimiko found each other. Over the years, Kimiko has changed from a quiet, serious six-year old to a slightly less quiet, less serious eleven-year-old. Reika doubts that Kimiko will ever be as outgoing and friendly as Ryouta, but she has definitely opened up more thanks to her son.

Ryouta has changed too. He was a bright, boisterous young boy with no care in the world except for giving and receiving affection, but with Kimiko’s presence, he has calmed down slightly to match her personality. He is very protective of her, and Reika will never forget the time she rushed from work to the school in shock because her friendly, happy boy had been involved in a fight.

She scolded him to tell him fighting was wrong but could not really tell him off too badly since he had been fighting a group of boys who had seen Kimiko as an easy target.

In exchange for him standing up for her and being her voice, Kimiko accepts the endless hugs and smiles he gives her without complaint, even as others complain about his overbearing affection. She also makes sure he studies, because if given the choice, he would rather be out and about. Instead, Kimiko, the more studious child, persuades him to study with her, and as a result, Kimiko and Ryouta are often top of the class, Kimiko because she soaks up information like a sponge, and Ryouta because Kimiko asked him to.

\---------------------------------

It is their sixth year when things start to get busy.

At the end of fifth year, the two of them are scouted by a modelling agency. Ryouta has not hit his growth spurt yet, but he is already tall for his age, and his golden hair and eyes catch the eyes of the agency. Kimiko is smaller in stature, but according to the agency, “her body is so proportionate, her features are well-defined, and she has such a mysterious aura!”

(Also, Ryouta refuses to accept the offer unless Kimiko comes with him.)

And that is how the two of them end up on the front cover of a popular magazine, with an entire article written on “the two budding stars of the modelling world” and how their popularity has shot up faster than any other model to date. The two of them model school uniforms, hair accessories, and even shoes, but while she allows a light coat of makeup to accentuate their features in the face of harsh studio lighting, Reika puts down her foot at the idea of heavy makeup and mature content. “I will not have my children be exposed to such things while they’re still young. When they are older, I will let them make the choice. And please remember that they are underage!”

Reika worries that with all these extra commitments, they will not be able to focus on their schoolwork, but she need not have worried. The two of them spend an entire afternoon creating a schedule that not only ensures that they have enough time to study and keep their grades, but also model, and practice volleyball, and play, and still spend time with each other like they used to.

(She admits she is rather jealous of their time management skills, though she is sure that most of the schedule was Kimiko’s idea.)

Through thick and thin, the two of them have stuck together, and have done everything together, and Reika is sure that the two of them will be joined at the hip for the rest of their lives. She giggles with Reina and Yukina, and bets that the two of them will eventually end up together.

The two of them, of course, choose to go to the same school. They pick one that is equidistant from the modelling agency in central Tokyo, and the house, in Kawasaki.

It is called Teikou Middle School, and it is well known for its basketball prowess.

\---------------------------------


	4. First Year at Teikou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kimiko and Ryouta enter Teikou and gain some inspiration.
> 
> Haikyuu characters make a very brief appearance here, but it's like 3 sentences. Their names aren't even mentioned.

“Ki-chan! Are you ready?” Ryouta demands, pounding up the stairs. It is their first day of middle school, and Kimiko smooths down her white uniform and knots the teal ribbon around her neck, picking up her bookbag and pulling open the door just as Ryouta is about to crash into it. She smiles cheekily at him as the momentum almost causes him to fall flat on his face, stopped only by her hold on his arm. It still causes him to stumble, and he grumbles good-naturedly at her. “Good morning, Ki-chan. I see you’re as graceful as ever.” She teases. In retaliation, he throws his arm over her shoulders and catches her in a chokehold. A gentle one, of course, because hell would freeze over before Ryouta harms his beloved best friend, willingly or unwillingly.

The two of them walk down the stairs, and the minute they enter the kitchen, an authoritative voice says, “two of you, sit down and eat your breakfast. I’ll send you to school in my car.” Reika places bowls of rice and miso soup in front of them, a traditional Japanese breakfast as always. Murmuring their usual “ _itadakimasu!”_ , Ryouta practically inhales his food, while Kimiko eats at a more sedate pace.

As the car pulls up at the front of the school, Kimiko takes a few breaths to calm herself. No matter how much more outgoing she has become since she became Ryouta’s friend, she will always be an introvert by nature and a new environment always scares her. Sensing her distress, Ryouta ruffles her hair and grins brightly. “Don’t worry! I’ll be there with you all the time, you’ll see!”

The two of them step out of the car and wave goodbye to Reika as she drives away, before turning around to enter the school. They make it to the noticeboard where class allocations are posted before there is a shocked gasp and a scream of, “OH MY GOD, ISN’T THAT KISE RYOUTA AND KITAWARA KIMIKO?!”

Immediately, they are swarmed with fans desperate for autographs. Taken aback by the sudden noise, Kimiko instinctively presses closer to Ryouta as if to hide herself from the growing crowd of students who were attracted by the commotion being caused. Ryouta pats her shoulder comfortingly and pulls out two pens from his bag, handing one to her. “Remember what Tanaka-san said? With our sudden surge in popularity, this situation was bound to occur sometime. Just take each item one at a time and sign on it, return it to the person and repeat.” He says, demonstrating by taking a notebook thrust at him and signing on it with a flourish, handing the notebook back to its owner with a smile.

Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, Kimiko follows Ryouta’s example, taking items one at a time and signing on them, before returning them to their respective owners. By the time the crowd of students thin, her hand is aching, and her nerves are rubbed raw by the sudden overexposure of human contact. Ryouta picks up on her exhaustion, dismissing the lingering students with a smile and grasping her wrist gently.

Kimiko doesn’t react to his touch until they are on the roof, where it is _thankfully, blissfully_ quiet. The buzzing in her ears slowly stops, and she becomes more aware of her surroundings, Ryouta’s hand rubbing her back acting as a grounding force to bring her back down to earth.

With a sigh, she stretches, relaxing her tensed muscles and popping bones back into place. “That was an experience.” She remarks dryly. Ryouta nods and laughs. “I know we got a warning from Tanaka-san, but I guess experiencing it first-hand is really different,” he admits, “even I’m exhausted, and we still have half an hour until school starts.”

The two of them are placed in Class 1-A, the top class of their cohort. Ryouta almost cries in relief when he realises he and Kimiko are in the same class, only to whine playfully when Kimiko reminds him that “if I hadn’t made you study last year, Ki-chan, we wouldn’t be in the same class this year.”

The two of them escape to the roof for lunch, evading enthusiastic fangirls and fanboys to eat their _bentos_ in peace. After lunch, they have more lessons, and after school, they try out for the volleyball club, only to be rejected because the club doesn’t accept girls as players.

Ryouta is furious at this “blatant discrimination!” but holds his tongue until they get home and the door is closed behind them. Then he lets loose. “I can’t believe that they would be so hard-headed! Just because no other girl has been good enough to get on the team doesn’t mean that you aren’t good enough either! They didn’t even let you try!” he rants as he pulls off his shoes and places them on the shoe rack.

Kimiko laughs as she does the same. “I don’t mind it, really,” she assures him. “Yes, I’m disappointed that the school’s club is male-only, and they didn’t give me the time of day, but just because I don’t play for the school doesn’t mean I have to stop playing. We’re still in the volleyball neighbourhood association, and there’s the court nearby and we have the backyard to practice, and we can always make “co-ed volleyball club” a requirement for our high school.”

“I don’t understand how you can be so calm about this!”

“What’s done is done, and we can’t change anything about it,” she points out reasonably, “so I’m just going to make do with what I have. Now, _okaa-san_ and _otou-san_ are both not home for dinner, and both Reina _nee-san_ and Yukina _nee-san_ are in Tokyo. What do you want for dinner?”

\---------------------------------

Both of them choose not to join any clubs at school, Kimiko because the ones she’s interested in don’t accept girls, and Ryouta because if Kimiko isn’t joining, then neither is he. They agree that it’s the best choice, especially with their modelling careers at their peak and their schedules getting busier as a result. The industry has come to realise that the two of them come as a packaged deal and are milking that fact for all its worth. All their shoots come with the understanding that even if only one half is shooting, the other will be there, and all their interviews are done together. A few interviewers try to imply that the two of them are dating, but they quickly shoot down those rumours, firmly saying that they are childhood friends, and nothing more (“though the future is not set in stone,” Ryouta quips once, earning him a punch to the shoulder that has him fake-wincing and crying crocodile tears.)

Kimiko makes sure that Ryouta keeps his grades up, and they both make it into the top ten of their year for midterms, and top five for finals. After school, they spend as much time as they can at the community volleyball court, practicing their skills and playing games all day. On weekends, they commute between Kanagawa and their agency in Tokyo, promoting different brands and companies for their jobs.

\---------------------------------

It is near the end of their first year when they discover Kaijou High School. The two of them, volleyball enthusiasts they are, make it a point to set aside time to watch the Kanagawa Volleyball Prefecturals. The watch the school who has gone to nationals for the past five years be defeated by a school that had not even made it to the prefectural semi-finals in the previous tournament, and the new champions laughing and crying with joy.

They are particularly fascinated with the new champions’ first years; a setter with scary precision in his sets, a tall blonde middle blocker with a deadpan, a freckled brunette with a superb jump float serve, and a (very) short middle blocker who jumps twice his height with a shock of orange hair. For Kimiko, whose skills have always been underestimated and laughed off due to her small stature, this middle blocker is a source of inspiration, and she resolves to jump as high as he does to make up for her lack of height, especially since she plays with Ryouta, who is almost a head taller than her and still growing.

And so this is how they end their first year: among the top students, gaining more popularity all the while, and new sources of inspiration for volleyball.

\---------------------------------


	5. Second Year at Teikou and the Teikou Basketball Club

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title says it all. Ryouta joins the basketball club!

They are in their second year of high school, and Kimiko knows Ryouta is getting restless. They play with the neighbourhood volleyball association frequently, but the players are all working adults and do not always have the time to play a game or two. So, she suggests Ryouta join a club.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because they won’t let you join because you’re a girl, and I don’t want to be part of a team like that.”

“Nothing can be done about that, Ki-chan. Let it go. Tell you what, if you join a club for me, I’ll sit in on all your practices and come to watch all your games, and if they allow, I’ll play once in a while for fun.”

“What will you do when you’re not playing, then?” he challenges.

Never one to back down, Kimiko retorts, “Do homework and study.” She sighs inwardly and pulls out the one thing she knows Ryouta cannot resist. Her puppy eyes. “Please, Ki-chan? For me?”

Ryouta narrows his eyes at her and grumbles. “Shut up. You know I can’t resist those.” She pouts harder.

“…Fine.”

\---------------------------------

Teikou’s basketball club is large. There are so many members that they have to be separated into three strings. Ryouta is moved up to first string in five weeks, the fastest promotion in the club’s history. Kimiko is so happy that he has joined a club that he does not have the heart to tell her he finds it boring because there is no challenge. Until his first day as a first-string.

Ryouta’s jaw drops slightly as he watches a second year dunk a basketball. _What kind of second year can do such a strong dunk?_ Beside him, Kimiko watches with what others would think is no expression. But Ryouta grew up with Kimiko, and he knows how to read her minute expression changes, and he knows she is shocked too. “They’re good,” she murmurs, “especially for their age.”

Ryouta grinned savagely. “They’ll be exciting opponents, I think.”

\---------------------------------

“Yo, what do you think of the new kid?” Aomine Daiki grunts as he downs half his water. Next to him, Murasakibara Atsushi chomps away on another _maiubo_ , and hums contemplatively. “I want to crush him.”

“Please don’t crush the new member, Murasakibara. He hasn’t done anything wrong, not yet at least.” Midorima Shintarou pushes his glasses up his nose. “What do you think, Akashi?”

Akashi Seijuurou hums noncommittally. “He was in my class last year, and this year, too. I haven’t seen him outside of class, so I can’t form an opinion of him just yet.”

Just then, their captain starts towards them, and slows as he nears. “Where’s Kuroko?”

“Here.”

Nijimura Shuuzou jumps two feet in the air in shock, forcing his racing heart to calm down and turning to the last member of the little gathering, Kuroko Tetsuya. “There you are! I was wondering if you could be the mentor to the newest member of the first-string. This is Kise Ryouta.” He gestures to the smiling blonde behind him. “ _Konnichiwa!_ My name is Kise Ryouta. Please take care of me.” he bows slightly, staring directly at Kuroko.

The remaining four boys start. Never has someone managed to spot Kuroko directly on the first try. It is one of the effects of his lack of presence. Yet, this new member managed to not only realise Kuroko’s presence, but also speak directly to him. _Interesting._

\---------------------------------

 _Kise Ryouta is interesting_. After a month, that is the one thought flying through everyone’s minds. Rumours have it that he moved from third string to first in just five weeks, a record in the club. He is promoted to the regulars after two weeks.

He has also given them nicknames, as they find out after his first game as a regular. Ryouta comes up to them and says, “You all are such good players! I hope we play against or together again, Aominecchi, Murasakibaracchi, Midorimacchi, Akashicchi, Kurokocchi.” He downs his bottle of water, not noticing everyone in the changing room gaping at him in surprise. “A-Aominecchi?!” Daiki splutters. Never has he heard such a ridiculous name in his life!

“I hope you don’t mind it. Ki-chan has a habit of adding -cchi to anyone he respects, and he doesn’t really retract the nickname once he has decided.” The small group, minus Tetsuya, jumps as a dark-haired girl suddenly appears next to the blonde, handing him a towel and a drink – _is that strawberry milk?_

Ignoring – or not noticing – their stares, she turns to Ryouta and says, “Hurry up and shower. That frozen yoghurt store is having a two-for-one deal today, so you can get that expensive abomination of yours today.”

“You like it too, Ki-chan!”

“Never said I didn’t.”

Once Ryouta and a few others enter the school showers, the girl settles down on one of the benches and pulls out her handphone and a pair of earphones. Before she can put them in, however, Aomine asks bluntly, “What’s your name?” The girl blinks slowly at them. “Kitawara Kimiko.”

“Are you dating Kise?”

“Nope.”

“The two of you act like an old married couple!”

“Do we? We’ve been acting like that since we were four.”

At this, Satsuki cuts in. “So, you’re childhood friends? How cute!” she coos. The girl stiffens almost imperceptibly but nods all the same.

At this moment, a third year snaps his fingers. “I knew your name was familiar! Aren’t you a model too?”

“Yes. The modelling agency only wanted Ki-chan, but he said he’d only accept the offer if I joined the agency too, so they offered me a contract.”

“You call him Ki-chan? That’s so cute!”

“Four-year-old Ki-chan thought it was cool that we both had the character _ki_ in our names, so now we’re both Ki-chan.”

“The two of you must be really close.”

“I guess so.”

While the basketball club is satisfied, Satsuki is not. She wants – no, needs – to know all she can about this girl. However, the dark-haired girl is not very open to answering questions, responding with curt and short answers. This back and forth continues until Ryouta steps out of the showers, dressed in his school uniform.

At this, Kimiko stands up gracefully and dusts off her skirt. “Sorry, I must go now.” She picks up her bag and heads out the door side-by-side with Ryouta.

\---------------------------------

“I don’t like that girl.” Kimiko grumbles as she and Ryouta stroll along to the dessert shop.

“You mean Momocchi?”

“Mm. I feel like she’s constantly dissecting the people around her, and when she needs it, will use the information against them. It’s disconcerting, and frankly, uncomfortable.”

“Want me to talk to her about it?”

“I feel like that will just raise more questions, and I’m not about to entertain her.”

“Oh.”

“Never mind that for now. Today’s on me. Think of it as celebration for winning your first match as a regular.”

“Ki-chan, I love you.”

“ _Hai, hai,_ whatever you say. Today’s special, though. Next time, you’ll be paying.”

\---------------------------------


	6. Third Year at Teikou and Middle School Graduation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Again, the chapter title says it all. Ryouta wonders whether he should continue playing basketball, and one day helps him make his decision.

Ryouta makes friends with the other regulars with ease. He enjoys basketball, not as much as volleyball but more than most activities, and relishes in the challenge that the prodigies pose. During the preliminaries for the winter cup, the five of them and Tetsuya become known as the Generation of Miracles and the phantom sixth man. Ryouta enjoys the title and what it means, until he does not.

Kimiko thinks the turning point is when one of their strongest opponents from last year give up on the match and just let Daiki pass by. After that, Daiki stops coming to practice, and his new mantra becomes _“The only one who can beat me is me”_. To encourage him to play and turn up, Akashi sets a new condition for their games, and this causes the slight crack in their relationship to expand into a chasm. Suddenly, they are not having fun playing basketball anymore, instead focusing on improving their own skills and being the best. When Ryouta updates her on the happenings within the Miracles, her gut feeling tells her to be cautious of the backlash.

Her gut feeling has never been wrong.

“Akashicchi set a quota for us to beat each basketball game. We’re supposed to score at least 20 points per person per game, now.” Ryouta says this in an off-handed way as they walk to school, but Kimiko knows him well enough to know that he is asking for her opinion.

“I don’t think that’s a terrible idea, but I don’t know if it’s worth it.” She says.

“What do you mean?” the blonde turns golden eyes on her. “I think, if I were one of you, I wouldn’t mind having an extra challenge to complete during the game. But what will your opponents think when they find out that you are not playing a game against them, but amongst yourselves, because you don’t take them seriously enough to think they’ll give you a good game?” She reasons.

“That’s a good point,” he admits, “and I don’t know if I like the direction the team is headed in right now. Aominecchi does not turn up for practice anymore, even if Momocchi begs, and Midorimacchi, Murasakibaracchi and Akashicchi are only focused on improving their own skills. I’m pretty sure Kurokocchi is worried about the team too.”

She eyes him shrewdly. “You’re reconsidering whether it’s a good idea to continue playing.”

His shoulders sag as he nods. “Basketball was only ever the replacement for volleyball. If I can, I would like to play volleyball in high school and not basketball. I want to play with them again, at least one last time, but if they’re going to be playing like that, I don’t know if I want to play at all.”

She pauses to collect her thoughts before responding. “I think you should at least play with them in the winter cup. If anything, it is a show of loyalty, and there will be too many questions asked if one of the miracles just suddenly drops out of the tournament.” She points out. “Give yourself until the end of the tournament to decide. If, after the finals, you really do not want to play anymore, you can quit the club.” She suggests.

In the end, Ryouta does not get to play in the winter cup finals. He and the other miracles blast their way through the tournament, getting to the semi-finals with ease. However, on the day of the semi-finals and finals, he comes down with food poisoning, and spends a good two hours of the morning hunched over the toilet bowl. Kimiko takes one look at him and dials Tetsuya.

“Kuroko-kun, _ohayo._ ”

“ _Domo,_ Kitawara-san.”

“I’m really sorry, Kuroko-kun, but Ki-chan won’t be able to play today. He seems to have eaten something bad and has spent the last two hours vomiting everything and anything up. I’m surprised he still has anything left in his stomach. However, he definitely won’t be able to play today, so can you inform the others? Thank you.”

“I will, Kitawara-san. I hope Kise-kun feels better soon.”

“If he doesn’t, I will whack him into the next century. I’ve seen too much stomach acid for a lifetime.”

\---------------------------------

Ryouta finally stops vomiting just before the end of the tournament, and he curls up miserably on the couch and turns on the TV, just in time to catch the end of the tournament, and the terrifying score presented.

_111 – 11. It was not a massacre; it was a torture session. For their enjoyment. A warning that the Generation of Miracles was able to control the flow of the game so well, they could control the scores._

Ryouta drops the remote and rushes to the bathroom again, and soon he can be heard hurling up the contents of his already near-empty stomach. Kimiko stares blankly at the screen because she never knew they could be this cruel.

Gathering her thoughts, she peeks her head round the door of the bathroom. Ryouta is drenched in sweat, heaving, and pale. He does not react as she flushes the toilet, places a set of clothes and a towel down on the rack, and tells him to take a bath. He only jolts slightly when she puts her hand on his shoulder and goes through the motions like a robot. He is silent – and that is worrying in itself – as he curls up on his bed, hair wet and hanging limply around his face.

Kimiko puts down the glass of water and a few tablets on the side table as she comes in. Sighing as she sees him, she gently nudges him into a sitting position, and coaxes him to down the medicine and the water. “It can be taken on an empty stomach, don’t worry.” She assures him when he eyes the medication warily.

Taking the towel wrapped around his shoulders, she starts to gently rub his hair dry. She is halfway through when Ryouta finally speaks.

“…If that’s… what playing basketball is like… I don’t want to play it.”

“You’ve made your decision then?”

A breathy “Yeah.”

“Do you want me to hand in your resignation letter?”

“Please.”

“Of course, Ki-chan.”

\---------------------------------

She meets Tetsuya at the door of the faculty office, holding the same sheet of paper that she is, and they share a knowing look as they enter the office and head towards the basketball advisor’s desk.

The advisor tries to convince them to stay, but Kimiko is sure it is only because Ryouta and Tetsuya are part of the group of the best players Teikou has seen in generations. She cuts the advisor off mid-sentence. “If you would pardon the interruption, Suzuki-sensei, it is Ki-chan and Kuroko-kun’s decision to quit, not yours. Perhaps if you had opted to focus more on teamwork and loving basketball rather than just _winning_ , then you wouldn’t have lost two key players.” She snaps and stalks out of the office towards her first class.

Tetsuya finds her on the roof during lunch break. With Ryouta still stuck at home, she is alone, and the two of them lean against the railing, staring out at the sky.

Tetsuya breaks the silence first. “The school they played at the finals… My friend played for that school. They broke him so much that he chose to stop playing basketball. And now, all I can think about is how I could have stopped it if I’d been a bit more forceful in my attempts to get them to work together, or if I could’ve done something to stop it if I had played.”

“You didn’t play at the finals?”

“I got injured in our semi-final match, and the medic said I should not play in the finals. I got to the spectators’ area just to see my friend lose.”

“I’m sorry about that.”

“What about Kise-kun?”

“He hates basketball now.”

“I thought I did, too. But I just hate _Teikou's_ basketball, but not basketball totally. That’s why I quit the club.”

“Ki-chan stopped vomiting and turned on the TV just in time for the scores to be shown. He was out of it for the rest of the day. He had been considering quitting before the winter cup, and I persuaded him to stay until he’d played with them one last time. I think, seeing what basketball has done to his friends, it will be hard for him to play again.”

“Kise-kun was not planning on continuing basketball in high school?” Tetsuya’s voice is coloured with a rare show of surprise. “I thought he would. He seemed to love it so much.”

Kimiko laughs. “He and I love volleyball much more, but he’s stubborn and refused to join the volleyball club because they wouldn’t take me on as a player. I convinced him to join basketball, but if I’d known this is how it’d end up, then I would’ve thought twice about my decision.”

“Do you know where you’ll be going for high school?”

“Wherever Ki-chan goes, I guess. We’ve discussed it before, and if we can we’d like to get into Kaijou High. It’s pretty near our home in Kawasaki, and while it has a basketball club, it is not particularly strong, and when we visited their campus during their open house, their volleyball team looked really fun.”

“That’s nice. I'm going to Seirin High School.”

“Their basketball club is pretty new, isn't it?”

"Yes, but they're a team."

"Ah, I understand. Good luck."

“Thanks.” The bell rings, and the two of them separate and head back to their classrooms.

\---------------------------------

Graduation Day is bittersweet. They collect their certificates and Kimiko takes the stage to present her valedictorian’s speech, and Ryouta smiles and takes pictures with girls who are crying at the thought of never seeing their beloved ‘Kise-kun’ in school again. He surprises everyone with his school of choice.

“Kise-kun, you’ll be going to one of the basketball powerhouses, right? I wish you the best of luck!”

“Kise-kun, I heard you got scouted for many schools known for basketball, congratulations!”

Ryouta pretends that the mention of basketball does not hurt him as he rubs the back of his neck with a smile. “Ah, actually, I will not be continuing basketball in high school. Ki-chan and I will be attending a school known for its volleyball instead.” Nearby, the remaining four miracles start.

A pause.

Then chaos.

“Kise-kun, I didn’t know you played volleyball! You’re so cool!”

“What school is it?”

“Kise-kun, I’m sure you will do well in the volleyball team as well! Good luck!”

Ryouta escapes the crowd of girls when he sees Kimiko finally finish taking pictures with enthusiastic fanboys, and he jogs over with a smile. His smile drops when his phone vibrates, and he checks the message.

“What is it?” Kimiko asks curiously, picking up on his sudden mood. Wordlessly, he turns his screen for her to see, and she hums. “I see.”

“Should I go?”

“It’s probably the last time you’ll see them, so I don’t see why not. But it’s your choice in the end.”

“I guess I’ll go.”

\---------------------------------

“Ryouta, I don’t remember asking for you to bring your little friend along.”

“Ki-chan and I come as a package deal, Akashicchi. If she’s not here, neither am I.”

A sigh. “Very well. I heard you won’t be continuing basketball in the future?”

“Yes.”

“What an idiot. Now we can’t compete against each other in high school.”

“With all due respect, Midorimacchi, I don’t wish to compete against any of you in high school. Especially if you all just play to win and decimate your opponents for the fun of it. It sucks all the fun out of it.”

“That’s so stupid. What do you play for, if not to win?”

“I don’t think you would understand even if I explained it to you in detail, Aominecchi.”

“You really won’t be playing in high school? I was looking forward to crushing you.”

“Sorry, Murasakibaracchi.”

Here Kimiko cuts in. “Ki-chan, Yukina _nee-san­_ just texted. She’s waiting at the front gates with Reina _nee-san_. They’re treating us to Mizuki-san’s crepes.”

“I love those, let’s go.”

\---------------------------------

Three months later, Kimiko and Ryouta stand in front of the gates of Kaijou High School, dressed in its grey-and-white uniforms with burgundy accents. It is time for a new period of their lives.

Sharing a look, they take a deep breath.

And step into their new school.

\---------------------------------


End file.
